PHA-producing microorganism in which glycerol kinase activity is enhanced, and PHA production method using same

ABSTRACT

Provided are a PHA-producing microorganism producing a higher molecular weight PHA and a PHA production method using the PHA-producing microorganism. A PHA-producing microorganism including a gene encoding a PHA synthase derived from genus  Aeromonas , in which at least a portion of a PHA degrading enzyme gene is altered by substitution, deletion, insertion, and/or addition to reduce or eliminate activity of a PHA degrading enzyme encoded by the gene, and further a glycerol kinase activity is enhanced.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a PHA-producing microorganism in which glycerol kinase activity is enhanced, and a PHA production method using the PHA-producing microorganism.

BACKGROUND ART

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (hereinafter, referred to as “PHAs”) are thermoplastic polyesters produced in cells of a variety of microorganisms. PHAs have a biodegradablility and are producible from renewable resources. Hence, some attempts have been made to employ PHA as an environmentally friendly material or biocompatible material for various industrial use.

The constituent component of PHAs is hydroxyalkanoic acid which is specifically exemplified by 3-hydroxypropionic acid, 3-hydroxybutyric acid, 3-hydroxyvaleric acid, 3-hydroxyhexanoic acid, and 3-hydroxyoctanoic acid, and 3-hydroxyalkanoic acids with a longer alkyl chain, and 4-hydroxybutyric acid. These hydroxyalkanoic acids are homopolymerized or copolymerized to form PHA.

Examples of such PHA include poly-3-hydroxybutyric acid (hereinafter sometimes referred to as P(3HB)), which is a homopolymer of 3-hydroxybutyric acid (hereinafter sometimes referred to as 3HB). Examples of such PHA further include a copolymer of 3HB and 3-hydroxyvaleric acid (hereinafter sometimes referred to as 3HV) (the copolymer is hereinafter sometimes referred to as P(3HB-co-3HV)) and a copolymer of 3HB and 3-hydroxyhexanoic acid (hereinafter sometimes referred to as 3HH) (the copolymer is hereinafter sometimes referred to as P(3HB-co-3HH)). Examples of such PHA furthermore include a copolymer of 3HB and 4-hydroxybutyric acid (hereinafter sometimes referred to as 4HB) (the copolymer is hereinafter sometimes referred to as P(3HB-co-4HB)).

PHAs have different physical properties depending on the molecular weight. For example, PHAs with as high a molecular weight as possible are preferred in the case of fiber processing. On the other hand, in refinement steps and processing steps of PHA, the molecular weight is lowered by treatment with heat, acid, alkali or the like. Thus, in order to maintain the molecular weight of PHA in a PHA product so as to be capable of exhibiting desired physical properties, it is essential to develop a PHA molecular weight control technology in a fermentation production process, particularly a technology for further increasing the molecular weight, which plays an important role in industrial use.

As the PHA molecular weight control technology, Patent Literature 1 reports a method of producing a higher molecular weight PHA by disrupting a gene for a PHA degrading enzyme of Cupriavidus necator as a PHA-producing microorganism. With this technology, a decrease in the molecular weight of PHA can be prevented by suppressing degradation of PHA produced in the microorganism, and PHA with a higher molecular weight can be obtained.

CITATION LIST Patent Literature

PTL 1: WO 04/065253

SUMMARY OF INVENTION Technical Problem

However, from the viewpoint that it is desirable to obtain a higher molecular weight PHA in the fermentation production process, there is still room for improvement in the technology disclosed in Patent Literature 1.

An object of the present invention is to provide a PHA-producing microorganism producing a higher molecular weight PHA and a PHA production method using the PHA-producing microorganism.

Solution to Problem

The present inventors have made intensive studies on breeding a microorganism producing a high molecular weight PHA. As a result, the present inventors have found that enhancement of glycerol kinase activity in a PHA-producing microorganism in which an activity of a PHA degrading enzyme is reduced or eliminated, in particular, in Cupriavidus necator allows for production of a high molecular weight PHA. The present invention has been completed based on this finding.

That is, the present invention relates to the following [1] to [13].

[1] A PHA-producing microorganism including a gene encoding a PHA synthase derived from genus Aeromonas, in which at least a portion of a PHA degrading enzyme gene is altered by substitution, deletion, insertion, and/or addition to reduce or eliminate activity of a PHA degrading enzyme encoded by the gene, and further a glycerol kinase activity is enhanced. [2] The PHA-producing microorganism according to [1], in which the gene encoding a PHA synthase is derived from Aeromonas caviae. [3] The PHA-producing microorganism according to [1] or [2], in which the glycerol kinase activity is enhanced by introducing a gene encoding exogenous glycerol kinase. [4] The PHA-producing microorganism according to [3], in which the gene encoding exogenous glycerol kinase is derived from genus Escherichia. [5] The PHA-producing microorganism according to [4], in which the gene encoding exogenous glycerol kinase is derived from Escherichia coli. [6] The PHA-producing microorganism according to [1] or [2], in which the glycerol kinase activity is enhanced by enhancing an endogenous glycerol kinase activity inherent in a host of the PHA-producing microorganism. [7] The PHA-producing microorganism according to any one of [1] to [6], in which a glycerol uptake activity into cells is not enhanced. [8] The PHA-producing microorganism according to any one of [1] to [7], in which the PHA-producing microorganism is a transformant including a microorganism belonging to genus Cupriavidus as a host. [9] The PHA-producing microorganism according to [8], in which the microorganism belonging to genus Cupriavidus is Cupriavidus necator. [10] A PHA production method, including a step of culturing the PHA-producing microorganism according to any one of [1] to [9]. [11] The PHA production method according to [10], in which in the culture step, a carbon source containing glycerol and/or a compound containing a glycerol skeleton is used. [12] The PHA production method according to [10] or [11], in which the PHA is a copolymerized PHA containing a structural unit derived from 3-hydroxybutyric acid. [13] The PHA production method according to [12], in which the copolymerized PHA contains a structural unit derived from at least 3-hydroxybutyric acid and 3-hydroxyhexanoic acid.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

According to the present invention, a higher molecular weight PHA can be produced.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described, but the present invention is not limited to those embodiments.

A first characteristic of the PHA-producing microorganism used in the present invention is that the PHA-producing microorganism has a gene encoding a PHA synthase derived from genus Aeromonas. The gene encoding a PHA synthase derived from the genus Aeromonas is not particularly limited, but the gene is preferably a gene encoding a PHA synthase capable of synthesizing a copolymerized PHA containing at least 3HB as a monomer unit, more preferably a gene encoding a PHA synthase capable of synthesizing a copolymerized PHA containing at least 3HB and 3HH as monomer units, and still more preferably a gene encoding a PHA synthase capable of synthesizing a P(3HB-co-3HH) which is a copolymerized PHA of 3HB and 3HH.

Such a gene encoding a PHA synthase is, for example, preferably a gene encoding a PHA synthase derived from Aeromonas caviae or Aeromonas hydrophila, and is more preferably the gene encoding a PHA synthase derived from the Aeromonas caviae. Examples of the gene encoding a PHA synthase derived from the Aeromonas caviae include a gene encoding a protein having an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1, and a gene encoding a protein which has a sequence homology of 90% or more, preferably 93% or more, more preferably 95% or more, and still more preferably 97% or more to the amino acid sequence and which has a PHA synthase activity. A specific example of the gene encoding a protein having an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 is a gene shown in SEQ ID NO: 2. A specific example of the gene encoding a protein having a sequence homology of 90% or more to the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 and having a PHA synthase activity is a gene shown in SEQ ID NO: 3.

The PHA-producing microorganism may have a gene encoding a PHA synthase derived from a genus different from the genus Aeromonas, in addition to the gene encoding a PHA synthase derived from the genus Aeromonas.

One of embodiments where the PHA-producing microorganism used in the present invention has the gene encoding a PHA synthase derived from the genus Aeromonas is an embodiment where the gene encoding a PHA synthase derived from the genus Aeromonas is introduced into a microorganism originally not having the gene encoding a PHA synthase derived from the genus Aeromonas. The method of introduction is not particularly limited, and any method may be selected from the following methods, or a combination of any two or more of the following methods may be used: a method of inserting the gene immediately onto a chromosome of a host, or substituting the gene onto the chromosome; a method of introducing the gene onto a megaplasmid included in a host; and a method of arranging the gene on a vector such as a plasmid, phage or phagemid to be introduced thereinto. However, any plasmid may drop out from a cell while the cell is cultured; thus, it is preferable to insert or substitute, onto a chromosome of a host, the gene encoding a PHA synthase derived from the genus Aeromonas. The method for each of the introduction, the insertion, the substitution, and the arrangement may be any known method. For example, a homologous recombination method or the like is usable for substituting or inserting, onto a chromosome of a host, the gene encoding a PHA synthase derived from the genus Aeromonas.

The gene encoding a PHA synthase derived from the genus Aeromonas to be introduced has on its upstream side an “expression regulatory sequence” related to the expression of the gene. The “expression regulatory sequence” in the present application may be specifically a DNA sequence positioned upstream of the start codon of the gene to control the transcriptional amount of the gene, a DNA sequence for adjusting the translational level of a messenger RNA transcribed from this gene (for example, an SD sequence (Shine Dalgarno sequence), or a DNA sequence including the two DNA sequences. As the expression regulatory sequence linked upstream of the gene encoding a PHA synthase derived from the genus Aeromonas, the following is usable: an expression regulatory sequence originally included in a host; any expression regulatory sequence present in the natural world; or an artificially constructed or modified expression regulatory sequence.

The expression regulatory sequence used for the gene encoding a PHA synthase derived from the genus Aeromonas in the microorganism of the present invention is not particularly limited. It is allowable that an expression regulatory sequence positioned upstream of the gene encoding a PHA synthase derived from the genus Aeromonas to be introduced is together introduced as it is; or it is allowable that when a suitable expression regulatory sequence is selected, the selected sequence is linked to the gene, and then the resultant is introduced into a host. When the gene encoding a PHA synthase derived from the genus Aeromonas is inserted onto the chromosome of the host, the gene may be linked to an expression regulatory sequence originally present on the host chromosome to be inserted.

The expression regulatory sequence to be selected is not particularly limited, and may be any naturally-derived expression regulatory sequence, or any variant thereof. Specifically, a promoter for regulating the transcriptional amount of the gene may be a lac promoter shown in SEQ ID NO: 4, which is a promoter derived from E. coli, a trp promoter shown in SEQ ID NO: 5, a lacUV5 promoter shown in SEQ ID NO: 6, which is a variant of any one of these promoters, a lacN15 promoter shown in SEQ ID NO: 7, a lacN16 promoter shown in SEQ ID NO: 8, a lacN17 promoter shown in SEQ ID NO: 9, a lacN19 promoter shown in SEQ ID NO: 10, a lacN20 promoter shown in SEQ ID NO: 11, a lacN21 promoter shown in SEQ ID NO: 12, a tad promoter shown in SEQ ID NO: 13, a tad promoter shown in SEQ ID NO: 14, a tic promoter shown in SEQ ID NO: 15, or a trc promoter shown in SEQ ID NO: 16; and may further be a REP promoter shown in SEQ ID NO: 17, which is a promoter for a phaCAB operon derived from Cupriavidus necator, a REPN17 promoter shown in SEQ ID NO: 18, which is a variant of the REP promoter, or a phaP1 promoter shown in SEQ ID NO: 19, which is a promoter for a phaP1 gene encoding phasin derived from Cupriavidus necator. These promoters are each usable as an expression regulatory sequence by linking a sequence REP-SD shown in SEQ ID NO: 20, which is an SD sequence of phaC1 gene derived from Cupriavidus necator, a sequence REP-SDM shown in SEQ ID NO: 21, which is a variant of the sequence REP-SD, any other known SD sequences, or any expression regulatory sequences equivalent thereto. Moreover, any other known expression regulatory sequence is also usable, examples thereof including an expression regulatory sequence PJ4a shown in SEQ ID NO: 22, which is composed of the promoter for operon including four genes of A1067, A1068, A1069 and phaJ4a derived from Cupriavidus necator and the SD sequence of A1067, and an expression regulatory sequence Pac shown in SEQ ID NO: 23, which is composed of the promoter for phaPCJ operon derived from Aeromonas caviae, and the SD sequence of phaP. Furthermore, usable is also an expression regulatory sequence obtained by modifying any one of these expression regulatory sequences with deletion, substitution and/or insertion of a base.

A second characteristic of the PHA-producing microorganism used in the present invention is that at least a portion of a PHA degrading enzyme gene has been altered by substitution, deletion, insertion, and/or addition to reduce or eliminate the activity of a PHA degrading enzyme encoded by the gene. A gene encoding a PHA degrading enzyme is also referred to as a phaZ gene, and, for example, the genus Cupriavidus has a plurality of phaZ genes. One example includes a PHA degrading enzyme gene shown in SEQ ID NO: 25 encoding a protein having an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 24, which is also referred to as a phaZd gene or phaZ6 gene. Other examples include the PHA degrading enzymes mentioned by Steinbuchel et al. (Microbiology., 156: 2136-2152 (2010)) including a phaZ1 gene having a base sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 27 encoding a protein having an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 26 and a phaZ2 gene having a base sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 29 encoding a protein having an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 28. Besides the genes mentioned above, other examples include genes having equivalent physiological functions. For example, mention may be made of a gene encoding a protein having a sequence homology of 90% or more to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:24, the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:26, or the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 28 and having a PHA degrading enzyme activity. The sequence homology to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 24, the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 26, or the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 28 is preferably 93% or more, more preferably 95% or more, and still more preferably 97% or more in terms of increasing the likelihood that a protein having the amino acid sequence has a PHA degrading enzyme activity.

Alteration of at least a portion of a gene by substitution, deletion, insertion, and/or addition can be accomplished by any method known to persons skilled in the art. Typical examples include a method using the mechanisms of transposons and homologous recombination (Ohman et al., J. Bacteriol., 162: 1068-1074 (1985)), and a method based on the principles of site-specific integration that occurs as a result of the machanism of homologous recombination and dropping out that occurs as a result of a second stage homologous recombination event (Noti et al., Methods Enzymol., 154: 197-217 (1987)). It is also possible to use a method in which a sacB gene derived from Bacillus subtilis is allowed to co-exist in a microorganism strain, and then the gene is dropped out by the second stage homologous recombination event, and thereby the microorganism strain is easily isolated as a strain resistant (Schweizer, Mol. Microbiol., 6: 1195-1204 (1992), Lenz et al., J. Bacteriol., 176: 4385-4393 (1994)). Any method of alteration by substitution, deletion, insertion, and/or addition can be used without particular limitation as long as a target PHA degrading enzyme gene on the chromosome is site-specifically disrupted or deactivated. Specifically, mention may be made of, for example, a method of deleting from the start codon to the stop codon of a PHA degrading enzyme gene on the chromosome; a method of deleting a portion of the gene sequence from the start codon to the stop codon; a method of introducing the stop codon into the gene sequence; a method of deleting the start codon; and a method of inducing a frameshift mutation by deletion or insertion. A further example is disruption of the promoter sequence of the PHA degrading enzyme gene, which results in reduced expression of the PHA degrading enzyme.

The phrase “to reduce or eliminate the activity of a PHA degrading enzyme” as used herein means that as a result of alteration of at least a portion of a gene by substitution, deletion, insertion, and/or addition, the activity of a PHA degrading enzyme encoded by the PHA degrading enzyme gene is reduced compared to the PHA degrading enzyme activity before the substitution, deletion, insertion, and/or addition, or is completely eliminated. Specifically, as a result of alteration of at least a portion of a gene by substitution, deletion, insertion, and/or addition, the activity of a PHA degrading enzyme encoded by the PHA degrading enzyme gene is preferably reduced to 20% or lower, more preferably 15% or lower, and still more preferably 10% or lower of the PHA degrading enzyme activity before the substitution, deletion, insertion, and/or addition. The complete elimination of the activity is most preferable. The percentage of reduction of the PHA degrading enzyme activity can be measured by directly measuring the PHA degrading enzyme activity, or alternatively can be estimated based on the effectiveness in suppressing a reduction of the molecular weight of produced PHA, for example.

As an example, when Cupriavidus necator is used as a host for a PHA-producing microorganism, the activity of the PHA degrading enzyme encoded by the phaZ6 gene is preferably reduced or eliminated, the activity of the PHA degrading enzyme encoded by the phaZ6 gene and the phaZ1 gene or the phaZ2 gene is more preferably reduced or eliminated, and the activity of the PHA degrading enzyme encoded by each of the phaZ6 gene, the phaZ1 gene, and phaZ2 gene is still more preferably reduced or eliminated. According to these aspects, a higher molecular weight PHA can be produced.

A third characteristic of the PHA-producing microorganism used in the present invention is that glycerol kinase activity is enhanced. Glycerol is taken up into a cell of a microorganism by the glycerol uptake protein. The glycerol taken up into the cell is converted to glycerol-3-phosphate by glycerol kinase. The glycerol-3-phosphate is converted to dihydroxyacetone phosphate by glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and is assimilated through a glycolysis system. The enhancement of the glycerol kinase activity in the present invention refers to a case where the glycerol kinase activity is newly imparted to a host originally not having the glycerol kinase activity by a method as described later, or a case where the glycerol kinase activity of a host originally having the glycerol kinase activity is enhanced and the glycerol kinase activity increases as compared with that before the enhancement, and the specific means is not particularly limited as long as PHA can have a high molecular weight which is an object of the present invention. When the glycerol kinase activity of the host originally having the glycerol kinase activity is enhanced, specifically, the glycerol kinase activity is preferably 1.2 times or more, and more preferably 1.5 times or more than that before the enhancement. The percentage of enhancement of the glycerol kinase activity can be measured by directly measuring the glycerol kinase activity or alternatively can be estimated based on the effectiveness in suppressing a reduction of the molecular weight of produced PHA, for example.

Examples of the method of enhancing the glycerol kinase activity include a method of introducing a gene encoding exogenous glycerol kinase and a method of enhancing an endogenous glycerol kinase activity inherent in the host of the PHA-producing microorganism.

The method of introducing a gene encoding exogenous glycerol kinase is not particularly limited, and any method may be selected from the following methods, or a combination of any two or more of the following methods may be used: a method of inserting the gene immediately onto a chromosome of a host, or substituting the gene onto the chromosome; a method of introducing the gene onto a megaplasmid included in a host; and a method of arranging the gene on a vector such as a plasmid, phage or phagemid to be introduced thereinto. However, any plasmid may drop out from a cell while the cell is cultured; thus, it is preferable to insert or substitute the gene encoding exogenous glycerol kinase onto a chromosome of a host. The method for each of the introduction, the insertion, the substitution, and the arrangement may be any known method. For example, a homologous recombination method or the like is usable for substituting or inserting, onto a chromosome of a host, the gene encoding exogenous glycerol kinase.

In the present invention, the gene encoding exogenous glycerol kinase to be introduced into a PHA-producing microorganism is not particularly limited. For example, it is possible to use a gene encoding glycerol kinase derived from the genus Escherichia, genus Salmonella, genus Yersinia, genus Serratia, genus Pectobacterium, genus Shigella, genus Enterobacter, genus Cronobacter, genus Klebsiella, genus Erwinia, genus Haemophilus, genus Pasteurella, genus Mannheimia, genus Xylella, genus Xanthomonas, genus Vibrio, genus Pseudomonas, genus Francisella, genus Aeromonas, genus Ralstonia, genus Rhodopseudomonas, genus Chromobacterium, genus Burkholderia, genus Bacillus, genus Staphylococcus, genus Listeria, genus Lactococcus, genus Streptococcus, genus Lactobacillus, genus Entericoccus, genus Clostridium, genus Thermoanaerobacter, genus Mycoplasma, genus Mycobacterium, genus Corynebacterium, genus Streptomyces, genus Borrelia, genus Leptospira, or genus Cupriavidus, or genes each encoding a variant thereof. In the present invention, the gene encoding glycerol kinase is more preferably a gene encoding glycerol kinase derived from the genus Escherichia, still more preferably a gene encoding glycerol kinase derived from Escherichia coli, and particularly preferably a gene encoding a protein having an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 30 or a gene encoding a protein which has a sequence homology of 90% or more, preferably 93% or more, more preferably 95% or more, and still more preferably 97% or more to the amino acid sequence and which has a glycerol kinase activity. An example of the gene encoding a protein having an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 30 is a gene shown in SEQ ID NO: 31 derived from Escherichia coli.

The gene encoding exogenous glycerol kinase to be introduced preferably has on its upstream side an expression regulatory sequence related to the expression of the gene. As the expression regulatory sequence linked upstream of the gene encoding exogenous glycerol kinase, the following is usable: an expression regulatory sequence originally included in a host; any expression regulatory sequence present in the natural world; or an artificially constructed or modified expression regulatory sequence.

The expression regulatory sequence used for the gene encoding exogenous glycerol kinase in the present invention is not particularly limited. It is allowable that an expression regulatory sequence positioned upstream of the gene encoding exogenous glycerol kinase to be introduced is together introduced as it is; or it is allowable that when a suitable expression regulatory sequence is selected, the selected sequence is linked to the gene, and then the resultant is introduced into a host. When the gene encoding exogenous glycerol kinase is inserted onto the chromosome of the host, the gene may be linked to an expression regulatory sequence originally present on the host chromosome to be inserted. As the expression regulatory sequence to be selected herein, the expression regulatory sequence as described above with respect to the gene encoding a PHA synthase can be used.

The method of enhancing the endogenous glycerol kinase activity inherent in the host of the PHA-producing microorganism is not particularly limited. The above-mentioned expression regulatory sequence may be inserted upstream of a gene encoding endogenous glycerol kinase on a chromosome, an expression level may be increased by introducing a copy of the gene encoding endogenous glycerol kinase at a position different from the position where the copy of the gene encoding endogenous glycerol kinase is originally present, or a glycerol kinase activity may be increased by a gene encoding endogenous glycerol kinase with introduction of a mutation into the gene. These methods may be combined or used together.

In the present invention, the gene encoding endogenous glycerol kinase refers to a gene identified as encoding glycerol kinase in the genomic information of the host or a gene encoding a protein known to have a glycerol kinase activity. For example, when a Cupriavidus necator H16 strain is used as the host of the PHA-producing microorganism, examples thereof include an h16_A2507 gene having a base sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 33 encoding a protein having an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 32 and an h16_B1199 gene having a base sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 35 encoding a protein having an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 34.

When an expression regulatory sequence is inserted upstream of the gene encoding endogenous glycerol kinase on the chromosome, a known method can be used, and, for example, a homologous recombination method or the like can be used. As the expression regulatory sequence, the expression regulatory sequence described above with respect to the gene encoding a PHA synthase can be used.

When a copy of the gene encoding endogenous glycerol kinase is introduced at a position different from the position where the copy of the gene encoding endogenous glycerol kinase is originally present, the introduction method is not particularly limited, and any method may be selected from the following methods, or a combination of any two or more of the following methods may be used: a method of inserting a copy of the gene immediately onto a chromosome of a host, or substituting a copy of the gene onto the chromosome; a method of introducing a copy of the gene onto a megaplasmid included in a host; and a method of arranging a copy of the gene on a vector such as a plasmid, phage or phagemid to be introduced thereinto. However, any plasmid may drop out from a cell while the cell is cultured; thus, it is preferable to insert or substitute, onto a chromosome of a host, a copy of the gene encoding endogenous glycerol kinase. The method for each of the introduction, the insertion, the substitution, and the arrangement may be any known method. For example, a homologous recombination method or the like is usable for substituting or inserting, onto a chromosome of a host, a copy of the gene encoding endogenous glycerol kinase.

A copy of the gene encoding endogenous glycerol kinase to be introduced preferably has on its upstream side an expression regulatory sequence related to the expression of the copy of the gene. As the expression regulatory sequence linked upstream of the gene encoding endogenous glycerol kinase, the following is usable: an expression regulatory sequence originally included in a host; any expression regulatory sequence present in the natural world; or an artificially constructed or modified expression regulatory sequence.

The expression regulatory sequence used for the gene encoding endogenous glycerol kinase in the present invention is not particularly limited. It is allowable that an expression regulatory sequence positioned upstream of the gene encoding endogenous glycerol kinase is together introduced as it is; or it is allowable that when a suitable expression regulatory sequence is selected, the selected sequence is linked to the gene, and then the resultant is introduced into a host. When a copy of the gene encoding endogenous glycerol kinase is inserted onto the chromosome of the host, the copy of the gene may be linked to an expression regulatory sequence originally present on the host chromosome to be inserted. As the expression regulatory sequence to be selected herein, the expression regulatory sequence as described above with respect to the gene encoding a PHA synthase can be used.

When a mutation is introduced into the gene encoding endogenous glycerol kinase, any known method can be used. For example, a gene encoding glycerol kinase is used as a template to conduct error-prone PCR or PCR using a primer into which a mutation has been introduced, whereby the gene encoding glycerol kinase into which a mutation has been introduced can be obtained.

Preferably, the PHA-producing microorganism of the present invention is not enhanced in glycerol uptake activity into cells. According to this aspect, a higher molecular weight PHA can be produced. An example of a gene encoding a glycerol uptake protein is a gene referred to as glpF, examples thereof include a gene represented by a base sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 37 encoding a protein having an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 36 and a gene represented by a base sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 39 encoding a protein having an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 38. When the PHA-producing microorganism has, on the genome, a gene corresponding to glpF as a gene encoding a glycerol uptake protein into cells, it is preferable not to enhance the glycerol uptake activity by genetic manipulation. In addition, it is preferable not to introduce an exogenous gene encoding a glycerol uptake protein into cells or a gene encoding a variant thereof into the PHA-producing microorganism by genetic manipulation.

As the host of the PHA-producing microorganism of the present invention, a PHA-producing microorganism having a PHA degrading enzyme gene can be used. Examples of such a PHA-producing microorganism as the host include microorganisms belonging to the genus Cupriavidus, with Cupriavidus necator being preferred, and a Cupriavidus necator H16 strain being more preferred. Here, mutant strains obtained through artificial mutation of the microorganism, and mutant bacterial strains obtained through genetic engineering can be used.

In the present invention, by culturing the PHA-producing microorganism of the present invention, PHA can be produced by the microorganism. As a method of culturing the PHA-producing microorganism of the present invention, it is possible to use a conventional method of culturing a microorganism, and the culture may performed by adding a suitable carbon source to a medium.

At the time of culture, any carbon sources may be used as long as the PHA-producing microorganisms of the present invention are assimilable. Preferable examples thereof include saccharides such as glucose, fructose, and sucrose; oils and fats such as palm oil, palm kernel oil, corn oil, coconut oil, olive oil, soybean oil, rapeseed oil, Jatropha oil, fractionated products of any oils and fats, and refined by-products of any oils and fats; fatty acids such as lauric acid, oleic acid, stearic acid, palmitic acid, and myristic acid, and derivatives of the fatty acids; and glycerol. In the present invention, since the effect of enhancing the molecular weight of PHA is obtained by enhancing the glycerol kinase activity, it is more preferable to use a carbon source containing glycerol and/or a compound containing a glycerol skeleton, it is still more preferable to use glycerol and/or oils and fats and fractionated products thereof, and it is particularly preferable to use glycerol; a mixture of glycerol and other carbon sources; vegetable oils and fats such as palm oil and palm kernel oil; and palm olein, palm double olein or palm kernel olein, which is a low-melting-point fraction obtained by fractionating palm oil or palm kernel oil.

In the production of PHA according to the present invention, the microorganisms are preferably cultured using a medium containing the carbon sources, nitrogen sources which are nutrients other than the carbon sources, inorganic salts, and other organic nutrients. Examples of the nitrogen sources include peptone, meat extract, and yeast extract, in addition to ammonium salts such as ammonia, ammonium chloride, ammonium sulfate, and ammonium phosphate. Examples of the inorganic salts include potassium dihydrogenphosphate, disodium hydrogen phosphate, magnesium phosphate, magnesium sulfate, and sodium chloride. Examples of the other organic nutrients include amino acids such as glycine, alanine, serine, threonine, and proline, and vitamins such as vitamin B1, vitamin B12, and vitamin C.

The conditions for culturing the microorganisms, such as culture temperature, culture time, pH during culture, and medium, may be the same as those generally used for culturing microorganisms used.

The PHA produced in the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is PHA produced by a microorganism. A homopolymerized PHA of a 3-hydroxyalkanoic acid selected from 3-hydroxyalkanoic acids having 4 to 16 carbon atoms, and a copolymerized PHA obtained by copolymerizing one or more 3-hydroxyalkanoic acids selected from 3-hydroxyalkanoic acids having 4 to 16 carbon atoms are preferable. Examples thereof include P(3HB), P(3HB-co-3HV), P(3HB-co-3HH), and P(3HB-co-4HB). Preferred is a copolymerized PHA containing a structural unit derived from 3-hydroxybutyric acid, and more preferred is a copolymerized PHA containing a structural unit derived from at least 3-hydroxybutyric acid and 3-hydroxyhexanoic acid.

In the present invention, the method of collecting PHA from cell bodies is not particularly limited, and for example, the following method may be used. After the termination of the culture, a centrifugal separator or the like is used to separate the cell bodies from the culture solution. The cell bodies are washed with distillated water, methanol or the like, and dried. From the dried cell bodies, an organic solvent such as chloroform is used to extract the PHA. Form this PHA-containing organic solvent solution, cell body components are removed by filtration or the like, and a poor solvent such as methanol or hexane is added to the filtrate to precipitate the PHA. Furthermore, filtration or centrifugal separation is used to remove the supernatant, and the remnant is then dried to collect the PHA.

The method of measuring the molecular weight of the PHA produced in the present invention is not particularly limited, and for example, the following method may be used. A gel permeation chromatography method is used to analyze the molecular weight of the PHA. Ten milligrams of the purified PHA is dissolved in 10 ml of chloroform, and the solution is filtered through a 0.2-mm filter to prepare a measurement sample. An amount of 0.05 ml of the sample is analyzed. The measurement is performed at 40° C. using a measurement system SCL-10A (available from SHIMADZU CORPORATION) and two Shodex GPC K-806L columns (available from Showa Denko K.K.) connected in series. The mobile phase is chloroform (1.0 ml/min), and an RI detector (RID-10A, available from SHIMADZU CORPORATION) is used. Polystyrenes treated in a similar manner (available from Showa Denko K.K., weight average molecular weight: 7,110,000, 1,920,000, 668,000, 197,000, 31,400, 2,950) are used as standard samples, and the weight average molecular weight of the PHA is determined from the calibration curve.

The molecular weight of the PHA produced in the present invention is not particularly limited. Regarding the molecular weight after cultivation has ended, the weight average molecular weight is preferably from 300,000 to 4,000,000, more preferably 500,000 to 3,500,000, still more preferably 700,000 to 3,300,000, and particularly preferably 1,000,000 to 3,000,000.

The PHA produced in the present invention may contain additives such as a crystal nucleating agent, an antioxidant, an ultraviolet absorbent, colorants such as a dye and a pigment, a plasticizer, a lubricant, an inorganic filler, an antistatic agent, an anti-mold agent, an antibacterial agent, a foaming agent, and a flame retardant, as needed.

A resin composition including the PHA produced by the present invention can be formed/worked to produce a molded article. The method of the forming/working may be a method known in the prior art, such as injection molding, film molding, blow molding, fiber spinning, extrusion foaming, or bead foaming.

The molded article is usable for, for example, various containers, packaging members, films for agriculture and horticulture, and medical materials.

EXAMPLES

Hereinafter, the present invention will be more specifically described by way of examples. However, the invention is not limited to these examples at all. Any genetic manipulation described in the examples can be attained by methods described in Molecular Cloning (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 1989). Any enzyme, any cloning host and any other that are used in the genetic manipulation are commercially available from suppliers in the market, and are usable in accordance with the instructions given by the suppliers. Any enzyme used in the examples is not particularly limited as long as the enzyme is usable in genetic manipulation.

(Production Example 1) Preparation of Plasmid pCUP2-PlacN17-glpK_(Ec) for Enhancing Glycerol Kinase Activity

A plasmid pCUP2-PlacN17-glpK_(Ec) for enhancing glycerol kinase activity was prepared.

First, a product pCR(R)2.1-TOPO(R) (available from Invitrogen) was used as a template to conduct PCR using respective DNAs represented by SEQ ID NOs: 40 and 41 as primers. In a similar manner, PCR was conducted using respective DNAs represented by SEQ ID NOs: 42 and 43 as primers. Next, a genomic DNA of Escherichia coli HB101 strain was used as a template to conduct PCR using respective DNAs represented by SEQ ID NOs: 44 and 45 as primers. Furthermore, the three DNA fragments obtained by the PCR were used as templates to conduct PCR using respective DNAs represented by SEQ ID NOs: 40 and 45 as primers. The resultant DNA fragment was ligated with a DNA fragment obtained by digesting the pCUP2 vector described in JP 2007-259708 A with MunI and SpeI, using In-Fusion(R) HD Cloning Kit (available from Takara Bio Inc.) to prepare a plasmid pCUP2-PlacN17-glpK_(Ec) for enhancing glycerol kinase having an expression regulatory sequence composed of a lacN17 promotor and a phaC1SD sequence and having a glpK_(Ec) structural gene sequence.

(Production Example 2) Preparation of Plasmid Introduced Strain for Enhancing Glycerol Kinase Activity, Using KNK-005 ΔphaZ1,2,6 Strain as Parent Strain

For the purpose of preparing a bacterial strain in which the glycerol kinase activity was enhanced, the KNK-005 ΔphaZ1,2,6 strain (see WO 2015/146195) was used as a parent strain to prepare a bacterial strain into which the plasmid described in Production Example 1 was introduced. The KNK-005 ΔphaZ1,2,6 strain is a bacterial strain in which the entire length of the phaZ1 gene and that of the phaZ6 gene on any chromosome are deleted, a sequence from the 16th codon of the phaZ2 gene to the stop codon thereof is deleted, and the chromosome has, thereon, a gene encoding a PHA synthase shown in SEQ ID NO: 3.

First, the KNK-005 ΔphaZ1,2,6 strain was cultured overnight in a nutrient broth medium (available from Difco Laboratories). Into 50 ml of the nutrient broth medium was inoculated 0.5 ml of the resultant culture liquid, and then the strain was cultured at 30° C. for 3 hours. The resultant culture liquid was rapidly cooled on ice. The cell bodies were collected and sufficiently washed with ice-cooled distilled water. Thereafter, the resultant cell bodies were suspended in 2 ml of distilled water. The suspended cell body liquid was mixed with a plasmid solution. The mixture was poured into a cuvette to be electroporated. The electroporation was performed, using a Micro Pulser Electroporator (available from Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.) under conditions of a voltage of 1.5 kV, a resistance of 800Ω, and a current of 25 μF. After the electroporation, the cell body solution was collected, and thereto was added 5 ml of the nutrient broth medium to culture the cell bodies at 30° C. for 3 hours. The resultant culture liquid was applied to a Nutrient Agar (available from DIFCO Laboratories) containing 100 mg/L of kanamycin sulfate. This was cultured at 30° C. for 3 days, and from the resultant colonies, a bacterial strain into which the plasmid was introduced was obtained. The resultant bacterial strain was named a KNK-005 ΔphaZ1,2,6/pCUP2-PlacN17-glpK_(Ec) strain.

(Production Example 3) Preparation of Plasmid Introduced Strain for Enhancing Glycerol Kinase Activity, Using KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔZ,2,6 Strain as Parent Strain

For the purpose of preparing a bacterial strain in which the glycerol kinase activity was enhanced, the KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔZ,2,6 strain (see WO 2015/146195) was used as a parent strain to prepare a bacterial strain into which the plasmid described in Production Example 1 was introduced in the same manner as in Production Example 2. The KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔZ,2,6 strain is a bacterial strain in which the entire length of the phaZ1 gene and that of the phaZ6 gene on any chromosome are deleted, a sequence from the 16th codon of the phaZ2 gene to the stop codon thereof is deleted, an expression regulatory sequence composed of a REP promoter and a phaC1SD(REP-SD) sequence is inserted immediately upstream of the phaJ4b gene, a lac promoter, a phaC1SD(REP-SD) sequence, and a phaC_(Re) structural gene sequence are inserted into the phaZ1-gene-deleted region, and the chromosome has, thereon, a gene encoding a PHA synthase of SEQ ID NO: 3. The resultant bacterial strain was named a KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔZ,2,6/pCUP2-PlacN17-glpK_(Ec) strain.

(Production Example 4) Preparation of KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔphaZ6::Plac-glpK_(Ec) ΔZ,2 Strain

For the purpose of introducing a gene expression cassette for enhancing the glycerol kinase activity into the phaZ6-gene-deleted region of the KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔZ,2,6 strain, a DNA-inserting plasmid was prepared.

First, a product pCR(R)2.1-TOPO(R) was used as a template to conduct PCR using respective DNAs represented by SEQ ID NOs: 40 and 43 as primers. Next, a genomic DNA of Escherichia coli HB101 strain was used as a template to conduct PCR using respective DNAs represented by SEQ ID NOs: 44 and 45 as primers. Furthermore, the two DNA fragments obtained by the PCR were used as templates to conduct PCR using respective DNAs represented by SEQ ID NOs: 40 and 45 as primers. The resultant DNA fragment was ligated with a DNA fragment obtained by digesting a pCUP2 vector with MunI and SpeI, using In-Fusion(R) HD Cloning Kit to prepare a plasmid pCUP2-Plac-glpK_(ec) having an expression regulatory sequence composed of a lac promotor and a phaC1SD sequence and having a glpK_(Ec) structural gene sequence.

Next, a genomic DNA of C. necator H16 strain was used as a template to conduct PCR using respective DNAs represented by SEQ ID NOs: 46 and 47 as primers. In a similar manner, PCR was conducted using respective DNAs represented by SEQ ID NOs: 48 and 49 as primers. The two DNA fragments obtained by the PCR were used as templates to conduct PCR using respective DNAs represented by SEQ ID NOs: 46 and 49 as primers, and the resultant fragment was digested with SmiI. This DNA fragment was ligated with a DNA fragment obtained by digesting the vector pNS2X-sacB described in JP 2007-259708 A with SmiI, using a DNA ligase to prepare a DNA-inserting plasmid pNS2X-sacB-dZ6UL having a DNA sequence at the upstream side of the phaZ6 structural gene, a DNA sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 50, and a DNA sequence at the downstream side of the phaZ6 structural gene.

Next, the pCUP2-Plac-glpK_(Ec) was used as a template to conduct PCR using respective DNAs represented by SEQ ID NOs: 51 and 45 as primers, and the resultant fragment was digested with EcoRI and SpeI. This DNA fragment was ligated with a DNA fragment obtained by digesting pNS2X-sacB-dZ6UL with MunI and SpeI, using a DNA ligase to prepare a DNA-inserting plasmid pNS2X-sacB-dZ6UL-Plac-glpK_(Ec) having a DNA sequence at the upstream side of the phaZ6 structural gene, an expression regulatory sequence composed of a lac promoter and a phaC1SD(REP-SD) sequence, a glpK_(Ec) structural gene sequence, and a DNA sequence at the downstream side of the phaZ6 structural gene.

Next, the KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔZ,2,6 strain was used as a parent strain to prepare a strain in which a gene expression cassette for enhancing the glycerol kinase activity was inserted into the phaZ6-gene-deleted region using pNS2X-sacB-dZ6UL-Plac-glpK_(Ec). pNS2X-sacB-dZ6UL-Plac-glpK_(Ec) was introduced into an E. coli S17-1 strain (ATCC47055). The E. coli strain and a KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔZ,2,6 strain were mix-cultured on a nutrient agar medium to be subjected to conjugal transfer.

The bacterial strain grown on Simmons' agar medium containing 250 mg/L of kanamycin sulfate (2 g/L of sodium citrate, 5 g/L of sodium chloride, 0.2 g/L of magnesium sulfate heptahydrate, 1 g/L of ammonium dihydrogenphosphate, 1 g/L of dipotassium hydrogenphosphate, and 15 g/L of agar; pH: 6.8) was selected from bacterial strains after the conjugal transfer, and a strain in which the plasmid was introduced onto the chromosome of the KNK-005 REP-phaJ4bΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔZ,2,6 strain was obtained. This strain was cultured for two generations in a nutrient broth medium, and then bacterial strains growing on a nutrient agar medium containing 20% of sucrose were selected therefrom. From the resultant bacterial strains, PCR was used to screen strains in which the gene expression cassette for enhancing the glycerol kinase activity was inserted into the phaZ6-gene-deleted region. One of the strains was named a KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔphaZ6::Plac-glpK_(Ec) ΔZ,2 strain. The KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔphaZ6::Plac-glpK_(Ec) ΔZ,2 strain is a bacterial strain in which a lac promoter, a phaC1SD(REP-SD) sequence, and a glpK_(Ec) structural gene sequence are inserted into the phaZ6-gene-deleted region of the KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔZ,2,6 strain.

(Production Example 5) Preparation of KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔphaZ6::PlacN17-glpK_(Ec) ΔZ,2 Strain

For the purpose of introducing a gene expression cassette for enhancing the glycerol kinase activity into the phaZ6-gene-deleted region of the KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔZ,2,6 strain, a DNA-inserting plasmid was prepared.

First, the pCUP2-PlacN17-glpK_(Ec) prepared in Production Example 1 was used as a template to conduct PCR using respective DNAs represented by SEQ ID NOs: 51 and 45 as primers, and the resultant fragment was digested with EcoRI and SpeI. This DNA fragment was ligated with a DNA fragment obtained by digesting the pNS2X-sacB-dZ6UL prepared in Production Example 4 with MunI and SpeI, using a DNA ligase to prepare a DNA-inserting plasmid pNS2X-sacB-dZ6UL-PlacN17-glpK_(Ec) having a DNA sequence at the upstream side of the phaZ6 structural gene, an expression regulatory sequence composed of a lacN17 promoter and a phaC1SD(REP-SD) sequence, a glpK_(Ec) structural gene sequence, and a DNA sequence at the downstream side of the phaZ6 structural gene.

Next, in the same manner as in Production Example 4, the KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔZ,2,6 strain was used as a parent strain to prepare a strain in which a gene expression cassette for enhancing the glycerol kinase activity was inserted into the phaZ6-gene-deleted region using pNS2X-sacB-dZ6UL-PlacN17-glpK_(Ec). The resultant strain was named a KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔphaZ6::PlacN17-glpK_(Ec) ΔZ,2 strain. The KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔphaZ6::PlacN17-glpK_(Ec) ΔZ,2 strain is a bacterial strain in which a lacN17 promoter, a phaC1SD(REP-SD) sequence, and a glpK_(Ec) structural gene sequence are inserted into the phaZ6-gene-deleted region of the KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔZ,2,6 strain.

(Production Example 6) Preparation of KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b PlacUV5-A2507 ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔZ,2,6 Strain

For the purpose of inserting an expression regulatory sequence for enhancing the expression of h16_A2507 upstream of the h16_A2507 gene on the chromosome, a plasmid for inserting an expression regulatory sequence was prepared.

First, a genomic DNA of C. necator H16 strain was used as a template to conduct PCR using respective DNAs represented by SEQ ID NOs: 52 and 53 as primers. In a similar manner, PCR was conducted using respective DNAs represented by SEQ ID NOs: 54 and 55 as primers. Furthermore, the pCUP2-Plac-glpK_(Ec) prepared in Production Example 4 was used as a template to conduct PCR using respective DNAs represented by SEQ ID NOs: 56 and 57 as primers. In a similar manner, PCR was conducted using respective DNAs represented by SEQ ID NOs: 58 and 59 as primers. The four DNA fragments obtained by the PCR were used as templates to conduct PCR using respective DNAs represented by SEQ ID NOs: 52 and 55 as primers, and the resultant fragment was digested with SmiI. This DNA fragment was ligated with a DNA fragment obtained by digesting pNS2X-sacB with SmiI, using a DNA ligase to prepare a DNA-inserting plasmid pNS2X-sacB-A2507U-PlacUV5-A2507 having a DNA sequence at the upstream side of the h16_A2507 structural gene, an expression regulatory sequence composed of a lacUV5 promoter and a phaC1SD sequence, and a portion of a h16_A2507 structural gene sequence.

Next, in the same manner as in Production Example 4, the KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔZ,2,6 strain was used as a parent strain, and an expression regulatory sequence was inserted upstream of the h16_A2507 gene using pNS2X-sacB-A2507U-PlacUV5-A2507. The resultant strain was named a KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b PlacUV5-A2507 ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔZ,2,6 strain. The KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b PlacUV5-A2507 ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔZ,2,6 strain is a bacterial strain in which an expression regulatory sequence composed of a lacUV5 promoter and a phaC1SD sequence is inserted immediately upstream of the h16_A2507 gene of the KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔZ,2,6 strain.

(Production Example 7) Preparation of KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔphaZ6::PlacUV5-A2507 ΔZ,2 Strain

For the purpose of introducing a gene expression cassette for enhancing the glycerol kinase activity into the phaZ6-gene-deleted region of the KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔZ2,6 strain, a DNA-inserting plasmid was prepared.

First, the pNS2X-sacB-A2507U-PlacUV5-A2507 prepared in Production Example 6 was used as a template to conduct PCR using respective DNAs represented by SEQ ID NOs: 40 and 43 as primers. Next, a genomic DNA of C. necator H16 strain was used as a template to conduct PCR using respective DNAs represented by SEQ ID NOs: 60 and 61 as primers. Furthermore, the two DNA fragments obtained by the PCR were used as templates to conduct PCR using respective DNAs represented by SEQ ID NOs: 40 and 61 as primers. The resultant DNA fragment was ligated with a DNA fragment obtained by digesting a pCUP2 vector with MunI and SpeI, using In-Fusion(R) HD Cloning Kit to prepare a plasmid pCUP2-PlacUV5-A2507 having an expression regulatory sequence composed of a lacUV5 promotor and a phaC1SD sequence and having a h16_A2507 structural gene sequence.

Next, the pCUP2-PlacUV5-A2507 was used as a template to conduct PCR using respective DNAs represented by SEQ ID NOs: 51 and 61 as primers, and the resultant fragment was digested with EcoRI and SpeI. This DNA fragment was ligated with a DNA fragment obtained by digesting the pNS2X-sacB-dZ6UL prepared in Production Example 4 with MunI and SpeI, using a DNA ligase to prepare a DNA-inserting plasmid pNS2X-sacB-dZ6UL-PlacUV5-A2507 having a DNA sequence at the upstream side of the phaZ6 structural gene, an expression regulatory sequence composed of a lacUV5 promoter and a phaC1SD sequence, a h16_A2507 structural gene sequence, and a DNA sequence at the downstream side of the phaZ6 structural gene.

Next, in the same manner as in Production Example 4, the KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔZ2,6 strain was used as a parent strain to prepare a strain in which a gene expression cassette for enhancing the glycerol kinase activity was inserted into the phaZ6-gene-deleted region using pNS2X-sacB-dZ6UL-PlacUV5-A2507. The resultant strain was named a KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔphaZ6::PlacUV5-A2507 ΔZ,2 strain. The KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔphaZ6::PlacUV5-A2507 ΔZ,2 strain is a bacterial strain in which a lacUV5 promoter, a phaC1SD(REP-SD) sequence, and a h16_A2507 structural gene sequence are inserted into the phaZ6-gene-deleted region of the KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔZ,2,6 strain.

(Example 1) Production of PHA by KNK-005 ΔphaZ1,2,6/pCUP2-PlacN17-glpK_(Ec) Strain

The KNK-005 ΔphaZ1,2,6/pCUP2-PlacN17-glpK_(Ec) strain obtained in Production Example 2 was cultured and purified under the following conditions, and the PHA production amount was calculated. The weight average molecular weight of the resultant PHA was measured. The PHA production amount was 11.8 g/L, and the weight average molecular weight was 217×10⁴. The results obtained are shown in Table 1.

<Culture>

The bacterial strain was cultured as follows.

The composition of a seed medium was: 1% (w/v) Meat extract, 1% (w/v) Bacto Trypton, 0.2% (w/v) Yeast extract, 0.9% (w/v) Na₂HPO₄.12H₂O, 0.15% (w/v) KH₂PO₄ (pH 6.8), and 5×10⁻⁶% (w/v) kanamycin.

The composition of the PHA-producing medium was: 1.1% (w/v) Na₂HPO₄.12H₂O, 0.19% (w/v) KH₂PO₄, 0.13% (w/v) (NH₄)₂SO₄, 0.1% (w/v) MgSO₄.7H₂O, 0.1% (v/v) trace metal salt solution (prepared by dissolving, in 0.1 N hydrochloric acid, 1.6% (w/v) FeCl₃.6H₂O, 1% (w/v) CaCl₂.2H₂O, 0.02% (w/v) CoCl₂.6H₂O, 0.016% (w/v) CuSO₄.5H₂O, and 0.012% (w/v) NiCl₂.6H₂O). As the carbon source, oleic acid and glycerol were used at a concentration of 1.0% (w/v), respectively.

A bacterial strain was inoculated into 10 ml of a seed medium and cultured at a culture temperature of 30° C. for 17 hours to obtain a preculture solution.

Next, the preculture solution was inoculated into a shake flask containing 50 ml of the PHA-producing medium to a concentration of 1.0% (v/v), and cultured with shaking at a culture temperature of 30° C. for 72 hours.

<Purification>

After the culturing was ended, the cell bodies were collected by centrifugation, washed with ethanol, and then vacuum-dried to give dry cell bodies.

To 1 g of the resultant dry cell bodies was added chloroform in an amount of 100 ml. At room temperature, the resultant was stirred a whole day and night. PHA in the cell bodies was extracted. The cell body residue was filtrated off, and then an evaporator was used to concentrate the PHAs to a total volume of 30 ml. Thereafter, 90 ml of hexane was gradually added, and then the resultant was gently stirred for 1 hour. The precipitated PHAs were separated by filtration, and then vacuum-dried at 60° C. for 3 hours to give the PHAs as dried PHAs. The weight of the resultant dried PHA was measured, and the PHA production amount was calculated.

<Weight Average Molecular Weight Measurement>

A gel permeation chromatography method was used to analyze the weight average molecular weight of the PHA. Ten milligrams of the purified PHA was dissolved in 10 ml of chloroform, and the solution was filtered through a 0.2-mm filter to prepare a measurement sample. An amount of 0.05 ml of the sample was analyzed. The measurement was performed at 40° C. using a measurement system SCL-10A (available from SHIMADZU CORPORATION) and two Shodex GPC K-806L columns (available from Showa Denko K.K.) connected in series. The mobile phase was chloroform (1.0 ml/min), and an RI detector (RID-10A, available from SHIMADZU CORPORATION) was used. Polystyrenes treated in a similar manner (available from Showa Denko K.K., weight average molecular weight: 7,110,000, 1,920,000, 668,000, 197,000, 31,400, 2,950) were used as standard samples, and the weight average molecular weight of the PHA was determined from the calibration curve.

(Comparative Example 1) Production of PHA by KNK-005 Strain

PHA was produced by the same method as in Example 1, using the KNK-005 strain (see U.S. Pat. No. 7,384,766) instead of the KNK-005 ΔphaZ1,2,6/pCUP2-PlacN17-glpK_(Ec) strain, and the production amount and weight average molecular weight of the resultant PHA were measured. However, no kanamycin was added to the seed medium. The KNK-005 strain is a bacterial strain having, on the chromosome, the gene encoding a PHA synthase shown in SEQ ID NO: 3. The PHA production amount was 10.4 g/L, and the weight average molecular weight was 91×10⁴. The results are shown in Table 1.

(Comparative Example 2) Production of PHA by KNK-005 ΔphaZ1,2,6 Strain

PHA was produced by the same method as in Example 1, using the KNK-005 ΔphaZ1,2,6 strain instead of the KNK-005 ΔphaZ1,2,6/pCUP2-PlacN17-glpK_(Ec) strain, and the production amount and weight average molecular weight of the resultant PHA were measured. However, no kanamycin was added to the seed medium. The PHA production amount was 10.7 g/L, and the weight average molecular weight was 136×10⁴. The results are shown in Table 1.

TABLE 1 PHA Weight average production molecular amount weight Name of bacterial strain (g/L) (×10⁴) Example 1 KNK-005 ΔphaZ1, 2, 6/ 11.8 217 pCUP2-PlacN17-glpK_(Ec) Comparative KNK-005 10.4 91 Example 1 Comparative KNK-005 ΔphaZ1, 2, 6 10.7 136 Example 2

As shown in Table 1, in Example 1, the glycerol kinase activity was enhanced by introduction of a gene encoding glycerol kinase derived from E. coli, so that the weight average molecular weight could be improved by about 1.6 times compared to Comparative Example 2. In the KNK-005 ΔphaZ1,2,6 strain of Comparative Example 2, which is a parent strain of Example 1, the weight average molecular weight was increased by about 1.5 times with respect to the KNK-005 strain of Comparative Example 1 due to disruption of the phaZ gene as a PHA degrading enzyme. However, as shown in Example 1, enhancement of the glycerol kinase activity by introduction of the gene encoding glycerol kinase derived from E. coli had an effect of further increasing the weight average molecular weight as compared with Comparative Example 2.

(Example 2) Production of PHA by KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔZ,2,6/pCUP2-PlacN17-glpK_(Ec) Strain

PHA was produced by the same method as in Example 1, using the KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔZ,2,6/pCUP2-PlacN17-glpK_(Ec) strain obtained in Production Example 3 instead of the KNK-005 ΔphaZ1,2,6/pCUP2-PlacN17-glpK_(Ec) strain, and the production amount and weight average molecular weight of the resultant PHA were measured. The PHA production amount was 11.2 g/L, and the weight average molecular weight was 160×10⁴. The results are shown in Table 2.

(Example 3) Production of PHA by KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔphaZ6::Plac-glpK_(Ec) ΔZ,2 Strain

PHA was produced by the same method as in Example 1, using the KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔphaZ6::Plac-glpK_(Ec) ΔZ2 strain obtained in Production Example 4 instead of the KNK-005 ΔphaZ1,2,6/pCUP2-PlacN17-glpK_(Ec) strain, and the production amount and weight average molecular weight of the resultant PHA were measured. However, no kanamycin was added to the seed medium. The PHA production amount was 12.2 g/L, and the weight average molecular weight was 186×10⁴. The results are shown in Table 2.

(Example 4) Production of PHA by KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔphaZ6::PlacN17-glpK_(Ec) ΔZ,2 Strain

PHA was produced by the same method as in Example 1, using the KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔphaZ6::PlacN17-glpK_(Ec) ΔZ2 strain obtained in Production Example 5 instead of the KNK-005 ΔphaZ1,2,6/pCUP2-PlacN17-glpK_(Ec) strain, and the production amount and weight average molecular weight of the resultant PHA were measured. However, no kanamycin was added to the seed medium. The PHA production amount was 11.9 g/L, and the weight average molecular weight was 195×10⁴. The results are shown in Table 2.

(Example 5) Production of PHA by KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b PlacUV5-A2507 ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔZ,2,6 Strain

PHA was produced by the same method as in Example 1, using the KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b PlacUV5-A2507 ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔZ,2,6 strain obtained in Production Example 6 instead of the KNK-005 ΔphaZ1,2,6/pCUP2-PlacN17-glpK_(Ec) strain, and the production amount and weight average molecular weight of the resultant PHA were measured. However, no kanamycin was added to the seed medium. The PHA production amount was 7.6 g/L, and the weight average molecular weight was 186×10⁴. The results are shown in Table 2.

(Example 6) Production of PHA by KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔphaZ6::PlacUV5-A2507 ΔZ,2 Strain

PHA was produced by the same method as in Example 1, using the KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔphaZ6::PlacUV5-A2507 ΔZ,2 strain obtained in Production Example 7 instead of the KNK-005 ΔphaZ1,2,6/pCUP2-PlacN17-glpK_(Ec) strain, and the production amount and weight average molecular weight of the resultant PHA were measured. However, no kanamycin was added to the seed medium. The PHA production amount was 10.8 g/L, and the weight average molecular weight was 177×10⁴. The results are shown in Table 2.

(Comparative Example 3) Production of PHA by KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔZ,2,6 Strain

PHA was produced by the same method as in Example 1, using the KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔZ,2,6 strain (see WO 2015/146195) instead of the KNK-005 ΔphaZ1,2,6/pCUP2-PlacN17-glpK_(Ec) strain, and the production amount and weight average molecular weight of the resultant PHA were measured. However, no kanamycin was added to the seed medium. The PHA production amount was 10.0 g/L, and the weight average molecular weight was 117×10⁴. The results are shown in Table 2.

TABLE 2 PHA Weight average production molecular amount weight Name of bacterial strain (g/L) (×10⁴) Example 2 KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b 11.2 160 ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔZ2, 6/ pCUP2-PlacN17-glpK_(Ec) Example 3 KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b 12.2 186 ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔphaZ6::Plac-glpK_(Ec) ΔZ2 Example 4 KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b 11.9 195 ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔphaZ6::PlacN17-glpK_(Ec) ΔZ2 Example 5 KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b 7.6 186 PlacUV5-A2507 ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔZ2, 6 Example 6 KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b 10.8 177 ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔphaZ6::PlacUV5-A2507 ΔZ2 Comparative KNK-005 REP-phaJ4b 10.0 117 Example 3 ΔphaZ1::Plac-phaC_(Re) ΔZ2, 6

As shown in Table 2, in Example 2, the glycerol kinase activity was enhanced by introduction of a gene encoding glycerol kinase derived from E. coli using plasmid, so that the weight average molecular weight could be improved by about 1.4 times compared to Comparative Example 3. In Examples 3 and 4, the glycerol kinase activity was enhanced by introduction of a gene encoding glycerol kinase derived from E. coli into a host genome, so that the weight average molecular weight could be increased by about 1.6 times and about 1.7 times, respectively, compared to Comparative Example 3. Example 3 and Example 4 differed in the expression regulatory sequence upstream of the gene encoding glycerol kinase derived from E. coli, but both had an effect of increasing the weight average molecular weight. In Example 5, the glycerol kinase activity was enhanced by inserting an expression regulatory sequence upstream of a gene encoding glycerol kinase present in a host genome, so that the weight average molecular weight could be increased by about 1.6 times compared to Comparative Example 3. In Example 6, the glycerol kinase activity was enhanced by inserting a copy of the gene encoding glycerol kinase present in a host genome into a different region on the genome, so that the weight average molecular weight could be increased by about 1.5 times compared to Comparative Example 3. 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A microorganism capable of producing a polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), comprising a gene encoding a PHA synthase derived from Aeromonas caviae, wherein at least a portion of a PHA degrading enzyme gene of the microorganism is altered by substitution, deletion, insertion, and/or addition of at least one nucleotide such that an activity of a PHA degrading enzyme encoded by the PHA degrading enzyme gene is eliminated or reduced as compared to an activity of the PHA degrading enzyme of a host of the microorganism, and a glycerol kinase activity of the microorganism is enhanced by introducing a gene encoding exogenous glycerol kinase as compared to a glycerol kinase activity of a host of the microorganism, wherein the gene encoding exogenous glycerol kinase is derived from Escherichia coli.
 2. The microorganism according to claim 1, wherein the microorganism does not have an enhanced activity to uptake glycerol into cells as compared to a glycerol uptake activity of the host.
 3. The microorganism according to claim 1, wherein the microorganism is a transformant of a microorganism belonging to genus Cupriavidus.
 4. The microorganism according to claim 3, wherein the microorganism belonging to genus Cupriavidus is Cupriavidus necator.
 5. A method for producing PHA, comprising culturing the microorganism according to claim
 1. 6. The method according to claim 5, wherein in the culturing, the microorganism is cultured in the presence of a carbon source comprising glycerol and/or a compound having a glycerol skeleton.
 7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the PHA is a copolymerized PHA comprising a structural unit derived from 3-hydroxybutyric acid.
 8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the copolymerized PHA comprises a structural unit derived from 3-hydroxybutyric acid and 3-hydroxyhexanoic acid.
 9. The microorganism according to claim 1, wherein the activity of the PHA degrading enzyme of the microorganism is reduced to 20% or lower of an activity of the PHA degrading enzyme of the host which does not have the substitution, deletion, insertion, and/or addition.
 10. The microorganism according to claim 1, wherein the activity of the PHA degrading enzyme of the microorganism is eliminated by the substitution, deletion, insertion, and/or addition.
 11. The microorganism according to claim 1, which is capable of producing a copolymerized PHA comprising a structural unit derived from 3-hydroxybutyric acid.
 12. The microorganism according to claim 1, wherein the PHA produced by the microorganism has a weight average molecular weight of from 300,000 to 4,000,000.
 13. The microorganism according to claim 1, wherein the PHA produced by the microorganism has a weight average molecular weight of 160×10⁴ or higher.
 14. The microorganism according to claim 1, wherein the PHA degrading enzyme gene is a phaZ gene. 